London Zoo

[fivemack]

On Saturday, I went with ewx and my new lens to visit London Zoo.

The photos are here; the extremely long lens means I can actually take portraits of animals, rather than pictures consisting of a great deal of tree with a slight leavening of monkey. It was a little tiring to walk around with three kilos of optics around my neck, and I've discovered that often one finds the whole weight of camera and lens supported on one's glasses, which transfer the weight efficiently to the nose-pieces, giving the effect of walking for four hours around London Zoo with a five-pound bag of potatoes balanced on one's nose; but I think the pictures are worth it.

Comments

[ewx.livejournal.com]

That squirrel monkey is declaiming.

[del-c.livejournal.com]

And that meerkat is flashing.

[nunfetishist.livejournal.com]

How long is the "extremely long lens" ?

[fivemack.livejournal.com]

It's a 170-500 f/5-6.3:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3276&navigator=3

I got it on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I think it's the longest remotely-affordable (ie 'less than five hundred pounds second-hand') lens made; I'm very pleased with the image quality.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, someone is asking about this lens on rec.photo.digital.slr-systems, if you're interested in replying with your opinion of it.

[nassus.livejournal.com]

very nice